★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
The Little Island
By: Golden MacDonald (Pseud. Margaret Wise Brown)
Illustrated by: Leonard Weisgard
Medal Winner
Reviewed by: Jeannette Tulis
Recommended age: 4 and up
Also read and recommended by: Sandy Hall, Sherry Early
This is another winner of a book by Golden MacDonald, a pseudonym for the wonderful Margaret Wise Brown. Again she gives us a book with lyrical prose telling the story of a little island, the flora and fauna on the island as well as all the creatures which visit the island. One of the visitors is a cat who arrives on a boat and has a conversation with the island as well as an interaction with a fish which is caught by the cat and interrogated about island facts. The illustrations by Weisgard are realistic and artistic and botanically correct and show the change of seasons and weather on the island. This book encourages a wonderful conversation about the natural world as it features one tiny island.
The Boats on the River
By: Marjorie Flack
Illustrated by: Jay Hyde Barnum
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
This book about a busy river flowing through a great city is written in rhythmic language, which makes it delightful to read aloud.
Both text and full-color illustrations give all the familiar details of river life—the ferryboat, the tugboat, the great ocean lines—and some lesser-known angles as well. A gift book for any child who loves boats—and who doesn't.
From the dust jacket
Pedro, The Angel of Olvera Street
By: Leo Politi
Honor
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
Recommended age: Ages 4-8
Also read and recommended by: Sherry Early
Pedro, a young boy of Los Angeles, can sing like an angel. At the Christmas celebration, he breaks the pinata and gets a lovely music box. The story is the sweet relationship between a grandfather and his grandson, perfect for Christmas time. And helps your little ones learn a few Spanish words along the way. The story even includes the musical score for "The Pinata" song to sing together, in Spanish and in English. Leo Politi's illustrations are simple, yet realistic, of the culture of Olvera Street in Los Angeles where he spent time in the 1930s sketching pictures for tourists. This book could be paired nicely with Nine Days to Christmas by Ets, the story of a Mexican girl.
★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
Rain Drop Splash
By: Alvin Tresselt
Illustrated by: Leonard Weisgard
Honor
Reviewed by: Sherry Early
Recommended age: All ages
Also read and recommended by: Jeannette Tulis, Lara Lleverino, Sandy Hall, Tanya Arnold
Some picture books are almost poems, and this book is one of those. Mr. Tresselt uses alliteration and rhythm and parallelism to make the text flow, perfect for reading aloud. The story begins with a cat looking out of the window at the rain drops coming down, and it ends with all of the drips and drops gathered into waves on the ocean, and then the rain stops. The book has a simple but satisfying narrative arc to accompany the poetry of it. And if you’re counting, it can be an introduction to the science of the water cycle and weather and rain. So you get poetry, narrative, and science all wrapped up with a nice bow.
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Sing In Praise
By: Opal Wheeler
Illustrated by: Marjorie Torrey
Honor
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
Recommended age: All ages
I grew up in church and learned all the verses of the great hymns of the faith: "Rock of Ages," "My Faith Looks Up to Thee," "Onward Christian Soldiers," "Fairest Lord Jesus," and so many more. In her darkest hour, Elisabeth Elliot recalled the words to hymns she had learned as a child in the family worship times. After her husband was killed by the Aucas, she said she was in such grief that she couldn't even pray, but in the wee hours of the night as she lay awake, the words to a hymn would wander through her mind, and she was comforted by its truth. I echo that. I enjoy some of the new worship songs, but always love when some of the old hymns are added to a church service. The words of those old hymns comfort my soul, give me courage, and remind me of God's greatness and that He can be trusted.
This book, Sing in Praise, by Opal Wheeler and illustrated by Marjorie Torrey, may seem out of date to many who never learned these hymns, but I encourage families to get the book, learn the songs, and enjoy it together. Wheeler gives a narrative history of some of the hymns, and each hymn is illustrated showing children reflecting on the truth of the words. There are full-page, full-color pictures as well as black line drawings occasionally. Wheeler and Torrey also collaborated on Sing Mother Goose.
Timothy Turtle
By: Al Graham
Illustrated by: Tony Palazzo
Honor
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
Recommended age: Ages 4-8
Also read and recommended by: Jeannette Tulis
With rhyming lilt, lots of alliteration, and plenty of fun words, Al Graham tells the delightful story of Timothy Turtle who longed for acclaim, got himself into a fix, but found contentment in the end. Tony Palazzo's black line drawings with soft background colors splash across the pages. I love this book! Pair it with a nonfiction book about turtles, like One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies or Let's Get Turtles by Millicent Selsam.
